Who designed the A5?
The ICON engineering team worked in concert with some of the world’s top automotive and product designers to create the A5. Every detail on the A5 was carefully thought through to create what we believe is likely the world’s first, true “consumer product aircraft.” The first phase was completed in-house. The second phase involved numerous designers from some of the world’s top car brands, including BMW, Porsche, Rolls Royce, and others. The final detailed phase was completed by Nissan’s renowned Advanced Design Studio, creator of the award-winning 370Z sports car. Troy Lee Designs, the leader in motorsports racing design, applied final aesthetic touches and graphics.
Why did ICON use car designers?
ICON turned to the auto industry where the market is extremely sensitive to aesthetic design, and products can fail or succeed based solely on the quality of their aesthetics. Automotive designers are trendsetters in ergonomics, styling, comfort, and functionality and know how to address the challenges to bring all four areas together for a modern and more positive user experience.
The A5 cockpit is very unique. What was the philosophy behind this design?
The A5’s cockpit was designed to appeal to both the most advanced pilots and newest pilots alike. Since sport flying is intended primarily for daytime recreational flying in good weather, the cockpit solution did not need to be complex. ICON’s philosophy in regards to cockpit instrumentation is to optimize the essential information the pilot needs for rapid assimilation of flight-critical data in a reliable, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing package. By removing non-essential instrumentation, the panel allows the pilot to safely fly the aircraft while interacting with his passenger and enjoying the flying experience, keeping his focus where it belongs: outside the aircraft.
What is the fuselage construction?
The airframe is lightweight, high-strength composite material comprised of carbon fiber that is corrosion resistant, which is preferred for amphibious planes and seaplanes.
What is meant by “amphibian” – can the A5 land on both land and water?
Yes. The A5 is amphibious, so it can land and takeoff from either water or land due to the boat hull design and retractable landing gear.
How many passengers can the A5 carry?
According to FAA rules, an LSA is limited to the pilot and one passenger.
Is there an option for increased fuel capacity?
At this time ICON has no plans for additional fuel capacity over the internal 20-gallon tank.
What is the “useful load” of the A5?
According to FAA rules, an amphibious LSA may not exceed 1430 pounds in gross weight, including people, luggage and fuel. The ICON A5 useful load (people + luggage + fuel) is currently estimated to be 430-530 pounds depending on the mix of options a customer selects in customizing their A5.
What instrumentation and avionics are included in the standard configuration?
The pilot side will include: Angle of Attack (AoA) indicator, airspeed indicator, altimeter, fuel level, tachometer, oil temperature, oil pressure, cylinder head temperature, and caution lights. The center console will include: GPS, VHF radio, intercom, Mode C transponder, landing gear switch, pitch trim indicator, and environmental controls. In addition, the panel will include various switches for ignition, battery power, lights, etc.
Why did ICON choose to include an Angle of Attack (AoA) indicator?
An Angle of Attack indicator is an indication of wing performance, as measured by the angle between the chord line and the relative wind. Since a wing stalls at the same angle of attack regardless of airspeed or weight, a pilot is able to rapidly assess wing performance in any phase of flight through quick reference of an AoA indicator.
Can the A5 be flown at night?
Yes, if the pilot is authorized to fly at night and the airplane is purchased with the night flying option, which includes lights and an attitude indicator, both of which are required for night VFR flight.
Will the A5 be approved for IFR flight?
At this time, there are no plans to offer the A5 in an IFR-equipped model.
Are all instruments electric? Is there a vacuum pump?
All flight instruments in the A5 are either electric or pitot-static. The A5 does not have a vacuum pump.
Can the windows be removed? Is it possible to remove during flight?
Yes, the side windows are removable. While the flight testing of this feature is still in progress, at present it is expected that the windows will not be removable while airborne for several safety reasons.
What is the noise level in the cockpit with the windows removed?
Flight tests conducted to date have revealed that cockpit noise levels do not change significantly increase with the windows removed.
What is the expected glide ratio?
While engine-out flight testing has not yet been completed, ICON expects the glide ratio of the A5 to be approximately 10:1, similar to other aircraft of its size and weight. In an unlikely engine-out situation, the A5 will glide like a typical light airplane to allow the aircraft to be maneuvered for an emergency landing at a suitable airport, field, waterway, or roadway.
Do the seats adjust?
No, but the rudder pedals adjust fore and aft to accommodate various pilot height dimensions.
Is the cockpit noise level increased due to a rear-mounted engine?
ICON has not yet completed calibrated noise testing; however, test flights completed so far indicate that the cockpit noise level is reported to be comparable with other aircraft with the same engine. In fact, even when flying with the window removed, the test pilot reported there was not a significant increase in cockpit noise levels. In general, the Rotax 912 runs relatively quiet compared to most aircraft engines.